Melbourne, Australia
In Melbourne, I ran 4 loops of the TAM course that circles the Royal
Botanical Gardens. By the time I got back to our Hotel via the
Yarra River, I was up to 12 miles total. More Melbourne vacation
pictures at: |
Heading to the Royal Botanical Gardens TAM Loop trail. |
Next day - Karen inside the Gardens.
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Short video of two of those fireball pops: Click
HERE |
The famous Melbourne giant fireball show - 7 PM every night along the
Yarra River. |
It is definitely autumn down under! |
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Sydney, Australia
Did a couple of much more interesting runs once we got to Sydney.
Big Baz Hawley
www.BigBazTrailRaces.com, a
friend since the 70's and now a legendary trail Race Director lived in
Australia for years before coming to the states. He still keeps
in contact with many of his old running "mates" and put me in contact
with them.My
first really neat run in Sydney was all on roads. 2.5 miles to
Centennial Park where Baz's friends meet every Sunday morning. I
met RADAR, his best mate for 40 years and Maureen. I went on a 4
or 5 mile walk with the slow group. Afterwards visited with
Radar and Maureen for tea and then ran to Bondi Beach and back to our
hotel near Darling Harbor. Got in a total of 10.2 running miles for
the morning + 5 walking miles. |
Doug with Baz's fan club ladies. Maureen kneeling. |
The walkers at Double Bay.
Both Maureen and Radar
just happened to be wearing shirts from Baz's early races. Baz
was thrilled when I showed him these photos. |
Doug and RADAR (Brian Hallett) have been best mates for 40 years.
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Way up on Maureens' new condo patio that she and Radar are renovating.
Fantastic views of Sydney!
Zoom in and
scroll across to appreciate the Sydney view. |
Google Earth 3D mapped route of the run to Bondi from my
Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS.
BONDI BEACH Flyby Tour
Double click on this link and
wait for Google Earth to zoom in from orbit to the view that shows the
red outline of the entire run. Once it stabilizes, click on
PLAY TOUR button or select PLAY TOUR from the drop down TOOLS menu.
That starts the animated flyover of the entire course. Awesome! |
This is Bondi Beach!
Click
HERE for more
hints on setting up your Google Earth options for best viewing of
Flyby Tours |
Doug & wife Karen on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. |
We attended the Edward Scissorhands musical at the Opera House. |
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June 4th - Two Bridges and
Harbor run
Our last
morning in Australia - I had to get one final running tour of Sydney.
The last 4 of our 8 days in Sydney our weather was off-and-on again
rain (it's winter). I ran 9.8 miles and twice got a 10 minute
super soaking! It was fun! |
After running through Hyde Park the hard rain started. Still
coming down here. I am soaked! Note Opera House.
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5 minutes later merely overcast. Harbor Bridge in the
background. |
I ran up to the center of the Harbor Bridge - Sydney Opera House in
the background. It was raining like mad again up here! |
I got the bridge security guy to take a second picture showing my
www.TheRunDown.net
shirt. It's still
pouring! |
The ANZAC tensioned rod supported bridge next to Darling Harbor. |
The ANZAC soldier statue at the far end of the bridge. |
Google Earth 3D mapped route of my Bridge & Harbor run from my
Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS.
SYDNEY Harbor Flyby Tour
Double click on this link and
wait for Google Earth to zoom in from orbit to the view that shows the
red outline of the entire run. Once it stabilizes, click on
PLAY TOUR button or select PLAY TOUR from the drop down TOOLS menu.
That starts the animated flyover of the entire course. Awesome! |
There was Sunshine in OZ! Our
Friday Blue Mountains Tour with the 3 sisters rocks.
Panorama of the three sisters _____& Blue Mountains.____
Click
HERE for
hints on setting up your Google Earth options for best viewing of
Flyby Tours. |
Sydney Tower SKYWALK
It ain't running, but it sure was fun! |
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You get to walk on a glass floor that is on the highest man made
structure in the Southern hemisphere. Note Harbor Bridge and
Opera House way down there. |
A view of Mrs. Macquarie's view point. I am now standing on an open
metal grating, not glass. |
Looking way down. |
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Our SKYWALK Group: two young ladies form Brisbane, Teruyuki Maruta
from Kobe, Japan and two girls from Austin, Texas USA |
When I got home Maruta emailed me his great pictures of the Sydney
Harbor Bridge and his night time shot of the Opera House from the
ferry ride. |
Great shot of the Sydney opera House by my new friend Teruyuki Maruta,
whom I had a beer with after our SKYWALK. |
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29th annual Dad's Day half marathon - Irvine to Laguna Beach
This year was my 29th annual and consecutive half marathon run from
Irvine to Laguna Beach. I did my 1st training run to Laguna on
Sunday June 8th in 1:59:37, the second on Thursday June 12th in
1:55:36 and the real push run on June 15th - Father's Day - in
1:53:37. All this Transrockies training helps. Usually I
am seeing 2:04 - 2:06 for my first training run.
When Jim
McElroy, Alan Rodely & I started doing this run in 1980, no one even
owned a stop watch, let alone a GPS. We just got moving when our
wrist watches said 6:30 AM and looked at the watches when we
finished. Family picnics afterwards for years. Both
friends are retired. These days, Alan lives in Oakhurst, CA and
Jim lives in Bend, Oregon.
My
fastest time ever (once we were in the digital watch age) was 1:46:23
back in 1992 at age 53 - accompanied by a young Michelle riding her
bike. My second fastest time was 1:48:27 in 2004 at age 65, when I
was just coming off doing my second 50K ever - Baz's Shadow of the
Giants, fully recovered and in great running shape. Michelle met me
at El Toro road (she ran Aliso Woods and down Stairstep to meet me -
probably 8 miles) and then she worked my butt off pushing me that last
3 miles. Was not fun, but worth it! After breakfast Karen & I drove
her back down Laguna Canyon and off she went up Stairstep and back to
the Mormon church parking lot. She was already a stud runner by 2004! |
It's iGEEZER!!
(Time for grandpa's
nap!) |
Daughter Michelle and grand daughter Sierra doing a reenactment of the
finish with grandpa Doug. |
8 year old Sierra has a natural stride and is fast. She averages
10 minute miles at 5K's since age 7! |
The three generations of runners!
Sierra just got
1st place for most laps (75) in the 6 timed sessions of her 2nd grade
running club. |
Steve's 3,831' climb to
Mount Baden-Powell |
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On Father's Day Steve
got in 12 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail by Wrightwood. A
tough 3,831' of climbs from Inspiration Point to Mt. Baden-Powell. |
Steve Harvey |
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Steve, Doug and Baz
Hawley run 9.8 miles - Ortega to Sitton Peak - Saturday June 21 |
Baz Hawley, long time legendary local trail race Race Director with
Doug. Hot run today. Was about 85 degrees at the Peak and
close to 89 degrees when we got back.
Afterwards, we all enjoyed a post run beer at Hell's Kitchen.
Superb! |
A Horny Toad!!
Steve in a panorama of the view. Zoom in & scroll across to
enjoy. |
California Old Goats
Steve & Doug at the Peak. |
Baz contemplates the fabulous wilderness views. We climbed a total of
2,825' in the heat.
Panorama at Sitton Peak. Zoom in & scroll across.
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Doug ran from home to
Peters Canyon, did the group run, had lunch with the Trail HeadZ, then
ran home - total of 18.1 miles. |
